The tension in Eastern Europe is on the rise again following Russia’s recent buildup of troops near the Ukrainian border where Russia-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian forces. The reactivated crisis is a major challenge for the European Union as well since it is testing the EU and its member states as to whether they are capable of being decisive international actors. Past experiences and also the current situation show that the EU exerts rather little influence in the region.

As a matter of fact, it is an important indicator that the EU still remains passive while Russia signals its intent to occupy Ukraine. The EU has only gone so far as to warn Russia it will face consequences if it invades Ukraine after amassing troops on the border with its southwestern neighbor. The lack of support for Ukraine in 2014 and for the Nord Stream 2 project are all reasons why Ukraine trusts the EU institutionally but less so its member states. On the other hand, the EU is too dependent on Russia in the energy sector to act without any constraints. Therefore, it seems that the EU cannot do more than impose some economic sanctions on Russia.

Read more on our English web site: EU’s weak role in Russian-Ukrainian crisis.